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Brad was appointed in February 2025 with an excellent reputation as a former player and now manager. He promptly led the club to only our third winners' trophy as we lifted the Cheshire Senior Cup for the first time.
Brad had previously enjoyed a successful 10-year association with Atherton Collieries, captaining their 2016-17 team to the North West Counties Premier Division title and later returning as boss after launching his managerial career in June 2019 with a six-month stint at West Didsbury & Chorlton
As a player, Brad had also served Ashton United, Salford City, Atherton LR, Ramsbottom United and Ashton Athletic before linking up with Colls and later Northwich Victoria.
In a six-year playing stint at Colls, he made 265 appearances as the kingpin of the team under Michael Clegg, who he later succeeded as boss.
Brad had starred in Colls' championship-winning teams in NWCL One and then its Premier Division while also lifting the Macron Cup and Evo-Stik League Integro Cup.
In summer 2018, he moved to Northwich Vics, being awarded the captaincy by their then manager, former Linnets boss Steve Wilkes. 2018-19 saw Vics reach the semi-finals of the FA Vase and win the Mid-Cheshire Cup.
However, the step-up into management was imminent for the then 33-year-old Brad, who
returned to Greater Manchester to take the helm at West Didsbury & Chorlton, beating more than 30 other candidates to the post.
He won eight of the first nine league games, picking up a Manager of the Month award.
West Didsbury's co-chairman Rob McKay described Brad's team as "one of the most exciting and talented teams we’ve seen in recent years.
West were in the hunt for promotion, in sixth position with plenty games in hand, due to cup form.
However, when the opportunity arose to rejoin Colls as manager, Brad found it impossible to turn it down.
First arriving at Colls in 2012, Brad had also skippered the club in their debut NPL Premier campaign after promotion and his input as manager only enhanced his reputation with the club and its supporters.
What Colls described as "consistently formidable results and performances" over the Covid-curtailed 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons prompted a two-year contract extension for Brad in April 2021.
The stint as Colls manager ended with his resignation almost exactly two years later - after 126 competitive matches.
Step 3 status had been retained against the odds and with the club punching above its weight.
In 2023, Brad's last game in charge, Colls appeared in the Lancashire FA Trophy final for the first time in the club's history, losing on penalties to Southport of National League North.
Brad left Colls in a great position, having secured their highest ever league position in the football pyramid.
He had also led Colls on the best FA Cup and FA Trophy runs in their history.
Prior to his arrival at Linnets, Brad had been out of football since leaving Colls at the end of 22/23 season.
Brad had rejected several job offers in the meantime, but the opportunity at Runcorn Linnets was the right job with the right club at the right time.